TEJ2O0-C, CastleBrooke S.S Computer Technology: Microprocessor

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• published: 13 Apr 2013
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The Microprocessor was invented in November 1971 by three Intel engineers Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff and Stanley Mazor in the United States. The very first microprocessor was an Intel product and they named it the Intel 4004. The 4004 was not powerful at all, it could only add and subtract at 4 bits at a time. That is very weak compared to what microprocessors can do now. After the Intel 4004 was created Intel had launched many microprocessors for different uses such as gas pumps, traffic light controllers, calculators and much more. Since then the microprocessor had been produced form another companies and it had also began getting more and more powerful without excessive power use. The microprocessor otherwise known as the CPU for central processing unit works just like a human brain does, it controls all the information moving within your computer. The information in your computer will tell the microprocessor when certain circuits need to be closed or when it needs to be open.The microprocessor has become much more powerful now than when it was first created. The Intel 4004 could only run up to a maximum clock speed of 740 KHz (kilohertz) which is very far from a gigahertz. A hertz is measurement of how many cycles can be performed per second. 740 KHz can also be known as 740,000 cycles being performed per second. Microprocessors now can reach up to 5 GHz (gigahertz) and possibly more. 5 GHz can also be known as 5,000,000,000 cycles being performed per second. That is almost 7000 times more powerful than the 4004. The microprocessor has evolved very quickly since 1971. The microprocessor has impacted society on a social and an environmental level. There are lots of microprocessors in the things we use daily such as: cars, watches, phones and much more. Without the microprocessor we wouldn't be able to use the internet which helps us in many ways. Without the internet our civilization would be pretty much in the stone ages. Microprocessors affect the way we live in many ways but we don't notice it because it is a very small device with a lot of power. I think in 5 years manufactures will develop a way to make the microprocessor work properly without the need for a coolant. Microprocessors can be very cheap or very expensive depending on the performance of the processor. It could be 100$ or 500$+. Sources: http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/microprocessor.htm http://mashable.com/2011/11/07/intel-sponsored-post/ http://www.howstuffworks.com/microprocessor.htm http://answers.reference.com/digital/equipment/how_does_a_microprocessor_work http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microprocessor